The 2020 list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, was announced over a virtual awards ceremony on 14 May.
The fifth edition of the list featured eight new entries and special recognition awards were also presented to Manhattan, Singapore, with the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award; Bar Trigona, Malaysia, the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award and Jay Khan, of Coa, Hong Kong, is Altos Bartenders’ Bartender 2020.
The ceremony was originally due to take place in Singapore for the third consecutive year but was replaced with a virtual countdown.
After consulting with Asia’s bar community and receiving its support, 50 Best decided to go ahead with publishing the 2020 list to provide recognition to the bars’ and their teams’ hard work over the past year.
50 Best stands with the global bar community as it prepares to recover from this unprecedented situation. For more information on how 50 Best is helping the bar community, please see the 50 Best for Recovery website.
Jigger & Pony
Co-founded by Gan Guoyi and Indra Kantono, Jigger & Pony is a bar concept that specialises in thoughtful reimaginations of classic drinks.
Innovative cocktails such as Mango Hazelnut Daiquiri and Mineral Vodka Soda feature alongside signatures such as its Ramos Gin Fizz. It first debuted on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list in 2016, and was ranked ninth last year, winning the Highest Climber Award after rising 33 places in the list.
Number two on the list is The Old Man, Hong Kong, which also becomes The Best Bar in China, sponsored by Matusalem. Coming in at three is Coa, Hong Kong, while Taiwan’s Indulge Experimental Bistro takes fourth spot and the Heering Legend of The List. Finishing the top five is Atlas, Singapore.
Mark Sansom, content editor for Asia’s 50 Best Bars, said: “It is wonderful to see a new number one and it is a credit to Jigger & Pony’s development that the team has created a brilliant bar that appeals to such a wide range of guests.
“We hope that the announcement of the 2020 list will deliver a message of solidarity and encouragement during this harrowing period as the bars in Asia look to get back on their feet. The virtual ceremony this year was not designed as a celebration, but rather as a recognition of all the bar teams’ hard work.”
For the 2021 Asia’s 50 Best Bars ceremony, 50 Best is also delighted to announce that it has confirmed its partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board to bring Asia’s 50 Best Bars back to Singapore next year.
Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2020 list
1 Jigger & Pony, Singapore
2 The Old Man, Hong Kong, China
